Post your refrigerator recommendations

In My Humble Opinion (IMHO)
#1

So, the fridge is leaking, which can’t be a good thing. (It’s old-ish; I’m guessing it can’t be any newer than, say, 1995. So it’s probably due, anyway.) I turned off the icemaker, and it seems we’ve plans to pull it out later today and see what’s what, but we’re probably in the market for a new fridge.

I like to research these things before I buy them, but I’m just don’t have the energy right now. (Although I will get to it; it’s just been a bad morning.) Do you guys have any thoughts or recommendations?

Current fridge is an Amana side-by-side with the automatic ice maker and water dispenser. We don’t use the water dispenser, but we make frequent use of the ice maker, so that might be a feature we’d want in the new one. I don’t mind the side-by-side design, but I’m not married to it either - I think I’d be just as fine with the traditional one large door design too. Current fridge is 27 cubic feet, but that’s not something I’m married to either (not sure of dimensions, really). We might go stainless (the new dishwasher is stainless), but I’m flexible on that too.

Thoughts? Recommendations? Anything I should specifically look for (or avoid)?

Thanks.

#2

Moved Cafe Society --> IMHO, because even though one keeps food in a fridge, it’s not really about cooking but about appliances.

#3

Oops. I guessed wrong. Sorry about that, twicks.

#4

Figure out how big your space is—the new standard is 35" wide. Also look at height. Once you get the numbers, you can eliminate the ones that won’t fit, even with a shoehorn.

#5

Assuming it will fit, we have been very happy with our Kenmore Elite 24.8 cf, french-door, bottom-freezer refrigerator. It doesn’t have an external water or ice dispenser, but it does have an internal water dispenser. Otherwise it’s been great.

Edit: It was one of the top-rated refrigerators in Consumer Reports, that’s why we bought it.

#6

I grew up with a bottom freezer and could never understand why anyone would have a top freezer. Unless you’re super short.

I am quite pleased with my Kenmore Elite as well. I think I scoped it in Consumer Reports, too. Didn’t get the french doors but I wouldn’t be against them now that the fridge is in my house. I think the single door is a bit too bulky.

I don’t think there were very many models without ice makers, at least at Sears. I rarely use ice but not only did I get an ice maker, I paid to have it hooked up too (not by the delivery guys). When the delivery guys hooked up the fridge they told me that one doesn’t have to hook up the ice machine, but the unit can’t be completely disabled. So, if you don’t have a water source for your ice machine and some lever gets switched to “on” and it tries to make ice without water, it can really get fucked up. So, I got it hooked up to avoid that problem.

#7

I’m short so I thought I’d dig a bottom freezer but I loathe my grandmother’s. It holds less than a top freezer because it’s a drawer but it somehow takes up more of the total appliance space than a top freezer. GRRR.

We have a vertical split fridge/freezer that I’m not overly fond of - both sides are too small.

If I had my druthers I’d always buy them in sets, one cheap fridge and one cheap freezer. I admit that I would miss having an icemaker though.

#8

Also consider the depth. I made the mistake of not doing that when I bought my current fridge. They all have big slots on the door to put stuff in, which makes everything in the “box” part set back that much further. It’s such a PITA to get to the stuff in the back.